and the move brings a major shake-up in Cabinet a step closer.

The changes mean Premier Jennifer Smith could move to reshape her team -- including a drastic cut in the number of Ministers -- in the near future.

But Government was last night staying tight-lipped over its plans. Questions put to the Premier through Government's press office remained unanswered.

The changes to Minister's portfolios were revealed in yesterday's Official Gazette, published in the Bermuda Sun.

Cabinet Office will today officially take over a range of responsibilities from a stripped-down Ministry of Development and Opportunity, held by Terry Lister. Development and Opportunity was one of the Ministries earmarked for extinction in a major review of the Civil Service carried out by experts from the UK.

And Education Minister Milton Scott will lose two areas from his portfolio to Cabinet Office.

Mr. Lister will lose personnel services, management services and the Government press office, while statistics and archives will be taken out of the Education Ministry.

And Arthur Hodgson's Environment Ministry is to expand with the addition of parks and the Railway Trail to his list of responsibilities.

Parks will be transferred from Youth and Sport Minister Dennis Lister, while the Railway Trail will be taken out of Alex Scott's Works and Engineering Ministry.

Works and Engineering was also a Ministry targeted in the Civil Service Review, with the suggestion that the Ministry could be rolled into a `superministry' of the Environment.

The review -- leaked to the media -- also recommended Cabinet could be cut nearly in half -- with around eight full-time Ministers instead of 13 part-timers.

And the review suggested a beefed-up Cabinet Office with more responsibilities -- including most of those due to be transferred today -- as well as a UK-style central policy unit to co-ordinate Government planning.

The Royal Gazette reported three weeks ago that Ms Smith was on the verge of a Cabinet shuffle.

Government declined to comment at the time -- but the post-Budget period and the Easter break is a traditional time for changes at the top.

The timing allows Ministers to settle into new roles in the last session of the House of Assembly and over the summer break before a new Throne Speech and the start of the winter Parliamentary session.

Portfolio changes When Ms Smith announced her first Cabinet in 1998, she signalled it was a stopgap measure using the system inherited from the previous Government.

And -- according to statements at the time -- the Premier appears to be way behind her own schedule for a Cabinet revamp.